Raksha Bandhan drives sales surge for quick commerce platforms
What's the story
As the festive season kicks in, quick commerce platforms are witnessing a surge in demand for rakhis and gifts for Raksha Bandhan. Consumers are increasingly using these apps to buy items beyond groceries. To meet this demand, Blinkit, the market leader in the space, has started accepting international orders. "Raksha Bandhan special—we've switched on international orders on Blinkit again this year," chief executive Albinder Dhindsa said in a LinkedIn post.
Order increase
Instamart partners with Kalyan Jewellers to offer silver rakhis
Swiggy's Instamart has also witnessed a surge in demand for rakhis this year. "Having surpassed last year's rakhi sales earlier this week, we have now achieved a 3.5x surge in orders for rakhi compared to the same period last year," said Manender Kaushik, AVP & category head of Instamart. The platform has also expanded its selection of rakhis by partnering with Kalyan Jewellers to offer silver rakhis on quick commerce for the first time.
Gift demand
Flipkart Minutes reports 5x increase in demand for gift packs
Flipkart Minutes has also witnessed a spike in demand for gift packs and hampers. The platform reported a 5x increase in orders for chocolates and festive gift boxes, a whopping 12x increase for sweets, and a 3x rise in dry fruits. "All-time popular gifting categories continued to drive demand, like sweets, dry fruits, perfumes, and non-food gifting combos," said a spokesperson from Flipkart Minutes.
Shopping trend
Shoppers start buying days before Raksha Bandhan
The trend of last-minute orders is changing, with platforms like Instamart and Flipkart Minutes witnessing consumers planning their festive purchases in advance. According to Kaushik, shoppers started buying on their platform for Raksha Bandhan days before the festival this year. This shift is reflected in a significant increase in order volumes, with shoppers from both tier-1 and tier-2 cities opting for quick commerce for festive shopping.